An elastic clamp of spring steel for the aforementioned purpose is known from DE 32 45 056 A1. This clamp comprises three limb pairs of different lengths which, beginning from a center line, are bent back toward one another in such a way that they form a rhombus when viewed from the side. The free ends of the limb pairs come in contact with one another in the unattached state of the clamp and are then angularly bent once again such that the attachment of the clamp on the holding rib of the attachment part is simplified. During this attachment, the free ends of the limb pairs are spread apart and pressed against the lateral surfaces of the holding rib. The two outer limb pairs of significantly shorter length are additionally provided with inwardly bent claws in their contact region on the holding rib in order to ensure the retention of the clamp on the holding rib.
The function of the clamp, namely the mounting of the attachment part on a carrier part, is realized with the longer central limb pair. In this case, the center width of the longer limb pair is greater than the corresponding clear width of the slot-shaped opening in the carrier part by a certain amount. When mounting the attachment part, its holding rib with the clamp attached thereon is inserted into the slot-shaped opening of the carrier part while elastically deforming the central limb pair, namely until the opposing obtuse regions of the limb pair lie behind the inner edge of the opening and the limb surfaces adjoin the inner edge after springing back.
The design of this clamp does not ensure a truly secure seat on the holding rib of the attachment part because it is merely held thereon by the inwardly directed pressing force of the limb pair. This is the reason why shorter lateral limb pairs with additional holding claws are provided. Since the holding claws generate a high resistance to being bent due to the relatively short length of the clamping limbs, a relatively high force is required for pressing the holding rib between the holding claws until it contacts the bottom of the clamp.